Speedway's Golden Year

[Guest]

A new book by David Hepworth.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/1971-Never-Moment-Rocks-Golden/dp/0593074866

It makes the claim that 1971 was Rock music's greatest year.

Any thoughts on whether speedway had a similar year, one that we can point to as the sport's best ever?

[steve roberts]

 

A new book by David Hepworth.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/1971-Never-Moment-Rocks-Golden/dp/0593074866

It makes the claim that 1971 was Rock music's greatest year.

Any thoughts on whether speedway had a similar year, one that we can point to as the sport's best ever?

 

1972...My first year following the sport! Great memories!

[Guest]

My golden year would be 1948.

[Reviresco]

1971 - I was 14 at the start of it and a day into it, one of the worst sporting disasters occurred when 66 folk did not return home from a football match at Ibrox.

 

The year of decimalisation in the UK, the IRA bombing of the Post Office Tower, my running the 200 metres in the London Schools' Championships and being beaten by an athlete who went on to represent Great Britain, Tsunamis (no, not the Forum version) close to Japan and the Bay of Bengal, Mount Etna erupts, oil production in the North Sea begins in Norway, the Aswan Dam is completed, Apollo 14 lands on the moon, Email is invented, kevlar goes on the market, Walt Disney World opens in Florida, Greenpeace comes into existence, Fed Ex starts up, the Anzac troops withdraw from Vietnam, TV advertising of cigarettes ends in the States, Idi Amin takes control in Uganda, the Pentagon Papers are published in the New York Times, Qatar and Sierra Leone gain independence from Great Britain, Charles Manson and his followers receive the death penalty, Love Story, The French Connection, Ryan's Daughter and the Andromeda Strain are popular films, BBC Open University broadcasts begin, ITV staff refuse to work with colour television equipment, Elizabeth R, The Two Ronnies, The Old Grey Whistle Test and Upstairs Downstairs debut on British TV, Samantha Cameron, Damian Lewis, Lance Armstrong, David Tennant, Ewan McGregor, Denise Ricahrds, Michael C Hall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Martin Freeman are born, Charles Engelhard (the owner of Nijinsky), Ogden Nash, Audie Murphy, Jim Morrison, Louis Armstrong, Nikita Khrushchev, Duane Allman, Dick Tiger, Bobby Jones, Igor Stravinsky all pass away, Richard Nixon is the US President and Ted Heath the British PM.

 

And in music: Queen's line up is completed, The Rolling Stones farewell to Britain tour commences prior to them leaving to become tax exiles in France, Led Zeppelin debut a live version of Stairway to Heaven, Monaco win the Eurovision Song Contest, mick Jagger marries Bianca, John Lennon and Yoko Ono jam with Frank Zappa, the first Glastonbury Festival to take place in the summer solstice is held with David Bowie, Traffic, Fairport Convention and Hawkwind all playing, Grand Funk Railroad play at a sold out Shea Stadium, The concert for Bangladesh is held at Madison Square Gardens, Who's Next is released, The Jackson 5ive premiers on ABC, Led Zep release their fourth, untitled, studo album which goes on to become the top selling album the following year, Elton John has his first international hit with Your Song, Rick Wakeman joins Yes and the album that essentially kick started the UK glam rock craze, Electric Warrior is released.

 

I loved 1971 and it was my first year attending speedway on a 'full time' basis, after dabbling with it the previous two years, but 1984 for me was my speedway golden year.

[Sidney the robin]

My golden year would be 1983, i loved that year generally the late 60s /70s would win hands down all of the time. That year Lee, Carter, Nielsen,Gundersen, Sanders,Sigalos it was a special period at the time i didn't realise it.

[Reviresco]

My golden year would be 1983, i loved that year generally the late 60s /70s would win hands down all of the time. That year Lee, Carter, Nielsen,Gundersen, Sanders,Sigalos it was a special period at the time i didn't realise it.

 

Good Shout Sidney, but the Billy Sanders League and Cup winning double the following year makes it 1984 for me. 1983 was a fun year too, with Billy back at Foxhall and nobody believing what good mates he and Siggy were - Bill, got on so well with 99,9% of other speedway riders, but Mike Lee and Sigalos would rate amongst his better friends - Billy and Dennis sharing workshops in 1982 helped form the bond. And Bill finishing as runner-up in both the Individual World Title and the World Pairs in 1983 too, of course. If he had won one of them, then maybe I would have gone for '83 too - and maybe he would've still been with us today too, but that's another story of course.

 

I enjoyed watching my speedway at King's Lynn in 1982 too. A poor team overall but a great track and the banter in the bar afterwards (or in Michael's transport) was an education. Colin Richardson was part of the Stars team that year and Lee would've been three years old at the time, running around chuckling while 'the adults' had a drink and a chat. Great memories.

[Sidney the robin]

Good Shout Sidney, but the Billy Sanders League and Cup winning double the following year makes it 1984 for me. 1983 was a fun year too, with Billy back at Foxhall and nobody believing what good mates he and Siggy were - Bill, got on so well with 99,9% of other speedway riders, but Mike Lee and Sigalos would rate amongst his better friends - Billy and Dennis sharing workshops in 1982 helped form the bond. And Bill finishing as runner-up in both the Individual World Title and the World Pairs in 1983 too, of course. If he had won one of them, then maybe I would have gone for '83 too - and maybe he would've still been with us today too, but that's another story of course.

 

I enjoyed watching my speedway at King's Lynn in 1982 too. A poor team overall but a great track and the banter in the bar afterwards (or in Michael's transport) was an education. Colin Richardson was part of the Stars team that year and Lee would've been three years old at the time, running around chuckling while 'the adults' had a drink and a chat. Great memories.

Always found it strange "Macca that people always felt Bill and Crump senior never got on they did i believe you would know better than anyone.I know for certain god they both respected each other and were both aware of each other's ability.Think if i am right Phil/Bill clashed in the Aussie Final think Crumpie got eliminated on 12 pts four wins.Hated it when Bill got S... at Swindon after that Phil is a legend in my eyes but Sanders was someone i rated and liked.After that Norden 83 Sanders was nearing his peak he would of challenged Hans/Gundo no doubt in my mind at all.

[Reviresco]

Always found it strange "Macca that people always felt Bill and Crump senior never got on they did i believe you would know better than anyone.I know for certain god they both respected each other and were both aware of each other's ability.Think if i am right Phil/Bill clashed in the Aussie Final think Crumpie got eliminated on 12 pts four wins.Hated it when Bill got S... at Swindon after that Phil is a legend in my eyes but Sanders was someone i rated and liked.After that Norden 83 Sanders was nearing his peak he would of challenged Hans/Gundo no doubt in my mind at all.

 

Spot on Sidney. Yes, Phil and Bill had a falling out - they were the two major rivals for the position of Aussie No. 1 for a number of years, Billy the younger buck threatening Crumpy's superiority. As you say, clashes in the Aussie Championships with the famous incident at Speedway Park, Virginia, South Australia in 1983 when, both on maximum points, Crumpy knocks Billy off going into the first turn and is excluded. Billy on the deck, having rocks lobbed at him by the parochial SA crowd swelled by Crump fans from Mildura. Dave Jackson the only rider to check on Billy's well-being. Phil not turning up to accept his third place prize and Bill doing his famous 'Get Stuffed' speech. (I remember that in the early '80's you could stickers with the Aussie flag in a No. 1 sign with either Billy's or Phil's names on them, depending which camp you were in.)

 

That was the culmination of a mini-feud, but deep down I know that Bill held Phil in the utmost respect as a man, a family man, a speedway rider, a fellow Aussie and - for having the messiest Citoen Safari in Australia... Not aided by Jason being a messy tyke when he was five. They were poles apart as characters, Crumpy quiet and reserved, Billy bubbly and out-going, but they both loved their country and they both loved their speedway. Sitting quietly, listening to them chat about the sport was an education.

 

I was lucky enough to be at the Ekka, the Brsibane Exhibition Ground in February 1981 when Bill won his third Aussie title, to go one in front of Phil's titles up to that point, with Crumpy finishing second and John Titman third. That was a great experience. Went up to him in the pits car park afterwards as he was loading his bikes, and the massive trophy, on the back of a Ute and that was when he broke the news that John Berry was shipping him off to Hull and John Louis to Halifax. To say he was shocked, disappointed and angry was to put it mildly. He loved the Ipswich Witches and we always used Berry's infamous quote that Bill 'Only raced hard when he had an Aussie race jacket on' to motivate him, oif he needed it, and just to have a damn good chuckle.

 

A few weeks later, I was in the pits with Bill for the practice for the Australasian Title, with four riders only progressing to the Overseas Final at White City, and gained a fantastic insight into the art of the sport. I don't know if you remember Robbie Maxfield, but he was riding for Exeter and Belle Vue at the time and had qualified for the Australasian Title meeting, but he is just about the nicest bloke that I've ever met through speedway and he stopped and chatted with me for ages - wonder what he's up to these days back in the lovely city of Adelaide?

 

Billy, of course, had finished third in the World Final at Ullevi the previous September and, along with Ivan Mauger and Crumpy, were favourites for the Title and to qualify in the top four and gain qualification to the next qualifying round back in London. I was in the pits again for the meeting, fulfilling my role of programme recorder and provider of thumbs up, pats on the back and attempts to motivate where needed. Things did not follow the predicted path during the meeting, with Phil struggling with his motors and Billy after being beaten by Mauger in their opening heat, then being excluded under the two minute rule by Sam Bass from the re-run of a heat, after Billy had laid his bike down to avoid hitting Mitch shirra who had fallen in front of him on the second bend and, after Bill had ensured Shirra was ok and spent some time on the track with him, he arrived back in the pits as Bass put the siren on, leaving Bill no time to fix his first bike (with the Otto Latenhammer tuned engine), so switched to his second bike in the hope that his mechanics, Ron Schliebs (who was involved in the accident at King's Lynn in 1982 that claimed the life of young Brett Alderton) and Mike Meeland could fix the damaged bike in time, rode out of the pits and then saw his mechanics waving, returned and got excluded.

 

This forced him to need a win in his last heat and Gary Guglielmi was his main rival in it and, with Billy not gating well, it was a possibility that Guglielmi would finish first being off the favourable gate too. Bill went and had a word with GG, but despite Billy effectively being his mentor and hero at the time, GG refused to 'assist' Billy and went out and beat him, meaning Bill missed out on the top four by one point, with Mauger winning the meeting and Danny Kennedy, Larry Ross and Phil Herne finishing on 11 points.

 

Crumpy also finished on 10 points but didn't bother racing Bill for the reserve position for the Overseas Final, and so Australia's best two riders of the time were both eliminated from the World Title hunt and a chance to take part in the last Wembley World Final, as early as 28 February. At the Overseas Final at White City on 12 July, I remember Bill being interviewed on the track PA, while sitting in his leathers on top of a van and the announcer saying that Bill was producing the best filled in programme for the meeting. Results show that Danny Kennedy finished 15th on 2 points and Phil Herne finished last after failing to score. So the chance of seeing Bill riding in a Wembley World Final had gone (at least I saw him ride there in the heatwave of 1976 in the Intercontinental Final).

 

Would he, or Crumpy have won? Probably not, as Penhall was inspired that night, but Bill had the measure of Bruce at the time and, with his fast Latenhammer motor and the confidence and experience of having had a run-off for 2nd place in the World Final the year before, I believe Bill would have made a good attempt at winning it and, most probably, would've finished on the rostrum again.

 

There was no doubt that by the time he left us, Billy and Phil had made up and were on much friendlier terms than previously. I remember chatting away at the World Team Cup qualifier at King's Lynn in 1984 and I believe Phil was genuinely shocked and upset when Billy took his own life. Maybe, Phil had accepted by then that Billy was the better rider and that he would never get his Aussie Title or No. 1 status back whilst Bill was still riding - well, I would say that, wouldn't I Sid?

 

I have no doubt that Billy would have been a World Title contender all the way through to the early 90's and, having won the Aussie Title once again and already qualified for the Overseas Final at Bradford - a track he would have loved and would have suited his style - the 85 Title was his for the taking, especially after he had successfully, although a year too late, switched successfully to GM's.

 

Coverage of the 1983 Aussie Title meeting here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJTbMh3sz0s

 

Coverage of the World Team QR Round in 1984 here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHfJ-dT_hI

 

Again, apologies for rambling on about Bill and those times, as I tend to do. It would be great to meet up sometime to have chat and recount experiences of speedway in the 70's and 80's. Particularly as Swindon fans with a respect for Bill are as rare as hen's teeth. Maybe I'll look at having a trip along to Blunsdon one evening - I haven't been to the old place since I Billy's last ever speedway meeting.

[van wolfswinkel]

1971 - I was 14 at the start of it and a day into it, one of the worst sporting disasters occurred when 66 folk did not return home from a football match at Ibrox.

 

The year of decimalisation in the UK, the IRA bombing of the Post Office Tower, my running the 200 metres in the London Schools' Championships and being beaten by an athlete who went on to represent Great Britain, Tsunamis (no, not the Forum version) close to Japan and the Bay of Bengal, Mount Etna erupts, oil production in the North Sea begins in Norway, the Aswan Dam is completed, Apollo 14 lands on the moon, Email is invented, kevlar goes on the market, Walt Disney World opens in Florida, Greenpeace comes into existence, Fed Ex starts up, the Anzac troops withdraw from Vietnam, TV advertising of cigarettes ends in the States, Idi Amin takes control in Uganda, the Pentagon Papers are published in the New York Times, Qatar and Sierra Leone gain independence from Great Britain, Charles Manson and his followers receive the death penalty, Love Story, The French Connection, Ryan's Daughter and the Andromeda Strain are popular films, BBC Open University broadcasts begin, ITV staff refuse to work with colour television equipment, Elizabeth R, The Two Ronnies, The Old Grey Whistle Test and Upstairs Downstairs debut on British TV, Samantha Cameron, Damian Lewis, Lance Armstrong, David Tennant, Ewan McGregor, Denise Ricahrds, Michael C Hall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Martin Freeman are born, Charles Engelhard (the owner of Nijinsky), Ogden Nash, Audie Murphy, Jim Morrison, Louis Armstrong, Nikita Khrushchev, Duane Allman, Dick Tiger, Bobby Jones, Igor Stravinsky all pass away, Richard Nixon is the US President and Ted Heath the British PM.

 

And in music: Queen's line up is completed, The Rolling Stones farewell to Britain tour commences prior to them leaving to become tax exiles in France, Led Zeppelin debut a live version of Stairway to Heaven, Monaco win the Eurovision Song Contest, mick Jagger marries Bianca, John Lennon and Yoko Ono jam with Frank Zappa, the first Glastonbury Festival to take place in the summer solstice is held with David Bowie, Traffic, Fairport Convention and Hawkwind all playing, Grand Funk Railroad play at a sold out Shea Stadium, The concert for Bangladesh is held at Madison Square Gardens, Who's Next is released, The Jackson 5ive premiers on ABC, Led Zep release their fourth, untitled, studo album which goes on to become the top selling album the following year, Elton John has his first international hit with Your Song, Rick Wakeman joins Yes and the album that essentially kick started the UK glam rock craze, Electric Warrior is released.

 

I loved 1971 and it was my first year attending speedway on a 'full time' basis, after dabbling with it the previous two years, but 1984 for me was my speedway golden year.

And Arsenal won the Double! Charlie George scoring the winner at Wembley beating Liverpool 2-1. Going with him on Arsenal stadium tour next Sat.

 

I like 1963, I was seven...first year of watching speedway, at New Cross, and unfortunately last for them. My first world final at Wembley.And I was George Harrrison in Beatles school band when She Loves You came out.

For music liked 1967 and 1972. For speedway 1963, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2012.

Edited May 1, 2016 by Downsman

[Sidney the robin]

A great post "Macca really enjoyed the read yes I can remember Rob Maxfield first see him for Worky and quite alot of him in his NL days at the feared Exeter County Ground.Going back to Bill i see quite alot of him luckily from 72 onwards the best i ever see him ride was him winning the 77 spring Classic a massive meeting

then.Saying that in that best pairs meeting when he fell riding for the Aussies that day he was awesome.When at Swindon give us a shout and a pint will await you.

[norbold]

1928.

[steve roberts]

 

Spot on Sidney. Yes, Phil and Bill had a falling out - they were the two major rivals for the position of Aussie No. 1 for a number of years, Billy the younger buck threatening Crumpy's superiority. As you say, clashes in the Aussie Championships with the famous incident at Speedway Park, Virginia, South Australia in 1983 when, both on maximum points, Crumpy knocks Billy off going into the first turn and is excluded. Billy on the deck, having rocks lobbed at him by the parochial SA crowd swelled by Crump fans from Mildura. Dave Jackson the only rider to check on Billy's well-being. Phil not turning up to accept his third place prize and Bill doing his famous 'Get Stuffed' speech. (I remember that in the early '80's you could stickers with the Aussie flag in a No. 1 sign with either Billy's or Phil's names on them, depending which camp you were in.)

 

That was the culmination of a mini-feud, but deep down I know that Bill held Phil in the utmost respect as a man, a family man, a speedway rider, a fellow Aussie and - for having the messiest Citoen Safari in Australia... Not aided by Jason being a messy tyke when he was five. They were poles apart as characters, Crumpy quiet and reserved, Billy bubbly and out-going, but they both loved their country and they both loved their speedway. Sitting quietly, listening to them chat about the sport was an education.

 

I was lucky enough to be at the Ekka, the Brsibane Exhibition Ground in February 1981 when Bill won his third Aussie title, to go one in front of Phil's titles up to that point, with Crumpy finishing second and John Titman third. That was a great experience. Went up to him in the pits car park afterwards as he was loading his bikes, and the massive trophy, on the back of a Ute and that was when he broke the news that John Berry was shipping him off to Hull and John Louis to Halifax. To say he was shocked, disappointed and angry was to put it mildly. He loved the Ipswich Witches and we always used Berry's infamous quote that Bill 'Only raced hard when he had an Aussie race jacket on' to motivate him, oif he needed it, and just to have a damn good chuckle.

 

A few weeks later, I was in the pits with Bill for the practice for the Australasian Title, with four riders only progressing to the Overseas Final at White City, and gained a fantastic insight into the art of the sport. I don't know if you remember Robbie Maxfield, but he was riding for Exeter and Belle Vue at the time and had qualified for the Australasian Title meeting, but he is just about the nicest bloke that I've ever met through speedway and he stopped and chatted with me for ages - wonder what he's up to these days back in the lovely city of Adelaide?

 

Billy, of course, had finished third in the World Final at Ullevi the previous September and, along with Ivan Mauger and Crumpy, were favourites for the Title and to qualify in the top four and gain qualification to the next qualifying round back in London. I was in the pits again for the meeting, fulfilling my role of programme recorder and provider of thumbs up, pats on the back and attempts to motivate where needed. Things did not follow the predicted path during the meeting, with Phil struggling with his motors and Billy after being beaten by Mauger in their opening heat, then being excluded under the two minute rule by Sam Bass from the re-run of a heat, after Billy had laid his bike down to avoid hitting Mitch shirra who had fallen in front of him on the second bend and, after Bill had ensured Shirra was ok and spent some time on the track with him, he arrived back in the pits as Bass put the siren on, leaving Bill no time to fix his first bike (with the Otto Latenhammer tuned engine), so switched to his second bike in the hope that his mechanics, Ron Schliebs (who was involved in the accident at King's Lynn in 1982 that claimed the life of young Brett Alderton) and Mike Meeland could fix the damaged bike in time, rode out of the pits and then saw his mechanics waving, returned and got excluded.

 

This forced him to need a win in his last heat and Gary Guglielmi was his main rival in it and, with Billy not gating well, it was a possibility that Guglielmi would finish first being off the favourable gate too. Bill went and had a word with GG, but despite Billy effectively being his mentor and hero at the time, GG refused to 'assist' Billy and went out and beat him, meaning Bill missed out on the top four by one point, with Mauger winning the meeting and Danny Kennedy, Larry Ross and Phil Herne finishing on 11 points.

 

Crumpy also finished on 10 points but didn't bother racing Bill for the reserve position for the Overseas Final, and so Australia's best two riders of the time were both eliminated from the World Title hunt and a chance to take part in the last Wembley World Final, as early as 28 February. At the Overseas Final at White City on 12 July, I remember Bill being interviewed on the track PA, while sitting in his leathers on top of a van and the announcer saying that Bill was producing the best filled in programme for the meeting. Results show that Danny Kennedy finished 15th on 2 points and Phil Herne finished last after failing to score. So the chance of seeing Bill riding in a Wembley World Final had gone (at least I saw him ride there in the heatwave of 1976 in the Intercontinental Final).

 

Would he, or Crumpy have won? Probably not, as Penhall was inspired that night, but Bill had the measure of Bruce at the time and, with his fast Latenhammer motor and the confidence and experience of having had a run-off for 2nd place in the World Final the year before, I believe Bill would have made a good attempt at winning it and, most probably, would've finished on the rostrum again.

 

There was no doubt that by the time he left us, Billy and Phil had made up and were on much friendlier terms than previously. I remember chatting away at the World Team Cup qualifier at King's Lynn in 1984 and I believe Phil was genuinely shocked and upset when Billy took his own life. Maybe, Phil had accepted by then that Billy was the better rider and that he would never get his Aussie Title or No. 1 status back whilst Bill was still riding - well, I would say that, wouldn't I Sid?

 

I have no doubt that Billy would have been a World Title contender all the way through to the early 90's and, having won the Aussie Title once again and already qualified for the Overseas Final at Bradford - a track he would have loved and would have suited his style - the 85 Title was his for the taking, especially after he had successfully, although a year too late, switched successfully to GM's.

 

Coverage of the 1983 Aussie Title meeting here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJTbMh3sz0s

 

Coverage of the World Team QR Round in 1984 here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHfJ-dT_hI

 

Again, apologies for rambling on about Bill and those times, as I tend to do. It would be great to meet up sometime to have chat and recount experiences of speedway in the 70's and 80's. Particularly as Swindon fans with a respect for Bill are as rare as hen's teeth. Maybe I'll look at having a trip along to Blunsdon one evening - I haven't been to the old place since I Billy's last ever speedway meeting.

Superb post! Thank you!

[Reviresco]

And Arsenal won the Double! Charlie George scoring the winner at Wembley beating Liverpool 2-1. Going with him on Arsenal stadium tour next Sat.

 

I like 1963, I was seven...first year of watching speedway, at New Cross, and unfortunately last for them. My first world final at Wembley.And I was George Harrrison in Beatles school band when She Loves You came out.

For music liked 1967 and 1972. For speedway 1963, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2012.

 

Great post, Downsman, and apologies for overlooking the 71 Double winning side. My dad was born and brought up in North London and was a massive Arsenal fan until the day he passed on. He was born in 1909 and told me that Charlton were a big rival back when he was a' jack the lad bachelor' and that the Gunners and the Addicks would play home and away on alternating Saturdays, so he would go and watch his beloved Gunners one weekend then go to The Valley the next, and cheer for the away team - whoever it was,

 

I missed off a lot of sports events for my 1971 review (thank god), but that was the year a great Ajax team won the European Cup, Frazier beat Ali in the first of their monumental three fight series, the first ever One Day International cricket match was staged - by accident really, after a Test Match against England was abandoned due to rain, Eddy Merckx, one of those 10 famous Belgians that you get asked to name now an again, won the Tour de France, Lee Trevino won both the U.S. and British Opens, Specify won the Grand National and Mill Reef won the Derby, John (Jackie) Stewart won the F1 title, Wales won the Grand Slam, John Newcombe and Evonne Goolagong won Wimbledon in an era when Aussies dominated tennis, and in speedway, Ivan Mauger won the British title, Ole Olsen won the World title, Great Britain won the World Team title - with Mauger, Briggs and Airey in the side, and Poland won the World Pairs, with the much maligned Jerzy Sczcakiel accumulating 15 points. I remember events of 1971 far clearer than those of 2001 or 2011.

 

Enjoy your stadium legends tour with Charlie George. next weekend. Should be great fun. Charlie is 66 two days after I am 60. Maybe best not to bring up the Keegan head-butt or the 'V' sign flicked at the County Ground. (Not sure Charlie can do a 'V' sign since he lost a finger in that lawn mower accident.)

 

A great post "Macca really enjoyed the read yes I can remember Rob Maxfield first see him for Worky and quite alot of him in his NL days at the feared Exeter County Ground.Going back to Bill i see quite alot of him luckily from 72 onwards the best i ever see him ride was him winning the 77 spring Classic a massive meeting

then.Saying that in that best pairs meeting when he fell riding for the Aussies that day he was awesome.When at Swindon give us a shout and a pint will await you.

 

Thanks Sid. I was there, of course, in 1977. That was a 'shock' win on maximum points and I have the back page of the Express from the following day with the report of his win. Gee, speedway was big back then. Won it with a five ride max if memory serves correctly and signalled his elevation into true world class and led to his first appearance in his first World Final. Billy never really bothered with individual meetings that much, as he was so much of a team oriented rider - again, John Berry would disagree. I think he won a Golden Wonder Olympique, a few Golden Sovereigns and a 16 Lapper and a Star of Anglia - and a few back in Oz, but, apart from his world title exploits, I far prefer remembering him in team and pairs events, being part of three British League title winning sides, two of which were Doubles and a couple of British Pairs titles, admittedly at Foxhall, with John Louis. Oh, and of course a World Team title in 1976 with Crumpy in the Aussie team together, with Bill getting a maximum in the Qualifying round at Foxhall and Phil top scoring with 11 points in the final at White City. I think they would have celebrated together that night, and long into the next day too.

 

I'll drop you a PM when I am able to make it down to the Abbey and look forward to a chat and a half a shandy. Hopefully Romance (Rohan Tungate) will still be in the side then, as I have a lot of time for the lad, despite what some at Foxhall say. He certainly did OK against them on Thursday and Friday.

 

Superb post! Thank you!

 

Thanks Steve. Appreciated, and glad you enjoyed my rather long ramble down Memory Lane.

Edited May 1, 2016 by macca56

[Sidney the robin]

Going back to certain years being a all round sports fan, Feb 1990 Tokyo Douglas beating Iron Mike ( Mike knocked him out rnd8 down for 13.5 seconds 😀)has to be up there in my favourite sporting moments.McEnroe beating Borg in 5 at Wimbledon Knowles beating Davis 10.1 at the Crucible also a a 64 year old legend Fred Davis beating Kirk Stevens in the last 16 at Sheffield great moments for me.

Edited May 1, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[Reviresco]

Going back to certain years being a all round sports fan, Feb 1990 Tokyo Douglas beating Iron Mike ( Mike knocked him out rnd8 down for 13.5 seconds )has to be up there in my favourite sporting moments.McEnroe beating Borg in 5 at Wimbledon Knowles beating Davis 10.1 at the Crucible also Kirk Stevens beating a 64 year old legend in the Semi in Fred Davis great moments for me.

 

I was a big Borg and Davis fan, Sid, but have warmed to McEnroe over the years.

[Sidney the robin]

Tell you something "Macca" old age is catching up with me.Remember Fred Davis playing Kirk Stevens could of swore Kirk won he did not Fred had a 3.0 head to head with him he beat him.I can remember Fred getting to a semi aged 64 it was against bloody Perry Mans god it catches up with us all mate old father time😧! Going back to Tennis my top five would be Laver,Sampras,Borg,Djokovic,Nadal my favourite two players were McEnroe and Stefan Edberg.

[van wolfswinkel]

 

Great post, Downsman, and apologies for overlooking the 71 Double winning side. My dad was born and brought up in North London and was a massive Arsenal fan until the day he passed on. He was born in 1909 and told me that Charlton were a big rival back when he was a' jack the lad bachelor' and that the Gunners and the Addicks would play home and away on alternating Saturdays, so he would go and watch his beloved Gunners one weekend then go to The Valley the next, and cheer for the away team - whoever it was,

 

I missed off a lot of sports events for my 1971 review (thank god), but that was the year a great Ajax team won the European Cup, Frazier beat Ali in the first of their monumental three fight series, the first ever One Day International cricket match was staged - by accident really, after a Test Match against England was abandoned due to rain, Eddy Merckx, one of those 10 famous Belgians that you get asked to name now an again, won the Tour de France, Lee Trevino won both the U.S. and British Opens, Specify won the Grand National and Mill Reef won the Derby, John (Jackie) Stewart won the F1 title, Wales won the Grand Slam, John Newcombe and Evonne Goolagong won Wimbledon in an era when Aussies dominated tennis, and in speedway, Ivan Mauger won the British title, Ole Olsen won the World title, Great Britain won the World Team title - with Mauger, Briggs and Airey in the side, and Poland won the World Pairs, with the much maligned Jerzy Sczcakiel accumulating 15 points. I remember events of 1971 far clearer than those of 2001 or 2011.

 

Enjoy your stadium legends tour with Charlie George. next weekend. Should be great fun. Charlie is 66 two days after I am 60. Maybe best not to bring up the Keegan head-butt or the 'V' sign flicked at the County Ground. (Not sure Charlie can do a 'V' sign since he lost a finger in that lawn mower accident.)

 

 

Thanks Sid. I was there, of course, in 1977. That was a 'shock' win on maximum points and I have the back page of the Express from the following day with the report of his win. Gee, speedway was big back then. Won it with a five ride max if memory serves correctly and signalled his elevation into true world class and led to his first appearance in his first World Final. Billy never really bothered with individual meetings that much, as he was so much of a team oriented rider - again, John Berry would disagree. I think he won a Golden Wonder Olympique, a few Golden Sovereigns and a 16 Lapper and a Star of Anglia - and a few back in Oz, but, apart from his world title exploits, I far prefer remembering him in team and pairs events, being part of three British League title winning sides, two of which were Doubles and a couple of British Pairs titles, admittedly at Foxhall, with John Louis. Oh, and of course a World Team title in 1976 with Crumpy in the Aussie team together, with Bill getting a maximum in the Qualifying round at Foxhall and Phil top scoring with 11 points in the final at White City. I think they would have celebrated together that night, and long into the next day too.

 

I'll drop you a PM when I am able to make it down to the Abbey and look forward to a chat and a half a shandy. Hopefully Romance (Rohan Tungate) will still be in the side then, as I have a lot of time for the lad, despite what some at Foxhall say. He certainly did OK against them on Thursday and Friday.

 

 

Thanks Steve. Appreciated, and glad you enjoyed my rather long ramble down Memory Lane.

Thanks macca, I'm also 60 years young! Wont remind Charlie of when he was arrested as an Arsenal hooligan either at Peterboro'. That 71 winning goal at Wembley will always stick in my mind, first title for The Arsenal for 18 years, after winning the league at White Hart Lane a few days earlier, amazing first double. We also used to go to The Valley and Highbury alternate weeks as the old man was an Addicks fan.

[Sidney the robin]

The Valley i only went there once they had Derek Hales and a 16 year Paul Walsh playing there record crowd there is 75000.

[BOBBATH]

Speedway's golden year in my view-no question it was 1965-first year of BL and watching the PL stars meeting NL stars for the first time-and there were some great surprises. Still got my programs from that year!!

[Sidney the robin]

BOBBATH did you see Charlie Monk win the Easter Trophy at West Ham,or him winning the prestige Internationale at Wimbledon.Which i believe at the time was quite a shock.?

Edited May 1, 2016 by Sidney the robin